Feb 11, 2011

Warning: Make at your own risk... Highly addictive, hard to eat just one!!

I loved everything about these cookies. The dough was easier to work with than the biscotti without butter, the texture was moist and chewy, and the pistachios, heavenly! Only problem is I ate more than my share. So if you make these, you might want to only make half! Don't say I didn't warn you!!

You can make these without the butter using the same method I used in my chocolate chocolate chip biscotti recipe, for a crispier biscotti, and only 2 points plus each. Enjoy!!

In a mixer, mix butter and sugar on medium speed for 1-1/2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time.

Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined to make a dough.

Remove the dough and using your hands, divide the dough into two or three pieces and form into long flat shapes about 8 long x 1-1/2 inches wide. Place on the lined baking sheets and bake 20 minutes.

When cool enough to handle, gently cut the loaves on the angle into 1/2 inch slices (a serrated bread knife works best). Return to the baking sheet fitting as many as you can on the baking sheet, you may need to do this in batches. Bake the biscotti for another 3-4 minutes on each side, less if you like it softer. Makes about 24.

Tonye, great idea!! I think I might make them again and do the same. Would also be nice with half pistachios, half dried cherries!

Sandy, not sure, you can just leave the butter out and use egg white, the texture will be different. See my chocolate chip biscotti, they have no butter. Traditional biscotti cookies actually don't have butter, but there are so many variations, I actually prefer it. It's worth the extra point.

Gina, I love making biscotti and I absolutely love the flavors you used in yours. These look so lovely, and like they'd make a perfect gift or treat for Valentine's Day. Thanks for sharing! I'll have to make these sometime with the Valrhona cocoa powder I received recently.

Gina, I was wondering if I used apple sauce instead of butter would I use the same amount & would the calories differ? I want you to know that I love ALL your recipes. I've lost 140lbs and I owe a BIG thank you to you and all your yummy ideas!!!

Oh these look fantastic!! Any idea how long they would keep stored in an air-tight jar? I really want to make them, but I know they'll get eaten slowly between my husband and myself and I don't want to waste any!

I made them tonight. The dough came out really dry and hard to manage so I added a couple splashes of unsweetened almond milk. This made the dough easier to form. The final product was great but not sure why my dough came out much different than yours?

I think they would probably store a week or two in an air tight jar, but I don't think they would last that long!

Maria, if you want to eliminate the extra fat, just make them without the butter, and use egg whites. I'm not sure what applesauce would do to them.

My "large" eggs were very large, if your dough is too dry, you could add a little more egg white (start with half an egg white). I made these twice, the first time in a bowl combining dry ingredients with wet, I found the mixer method gave me the best results.

My husband is sending me out to be more pistachios to make these again!

These look and smell awesome!! I'm in the middle of making them now. I could easily eat all of them myself but will bring them to a play date this morning in order to save myself from losing all control!

Thank you for this great recipe. I used slivered almonds instead of the pistachios (didn't have them on hand) and it turned out absolutely DELISH!!! I totally see what you mean about eating them yourself...I had to box them up before I kept eating! Thank you for sharing your recipes!!!

Just tried one and it is absolutely delish!!! You are correct, very hard to eat just one :) Didn't have parchment paper so i sprayed baking sheet and spread flour. Mine had flour on the side but still oh so yummy.

I made these today, AMAZING. I can't wait to take them to work tomorrow and get them out of my house, I can't stop eating them! :) You were right about that part. I also added a little less than 3/4 of a cup chocolate chips too...so rich and chocolatey. :)

These are dangerous! SO GOOD! mine crumbled when I cut them, but I think it is because I was off a bit on my cooking time, accidentally had hit the timer before they were done. The flavor combination is amazing! I am pretty sure I could eat the entire batch by myself!

I think this is the first recipe I've tried of yours that was kind of a flop! My dough was also too dry and crumbly, I will try more egg white next time. I also decided to save money by shelling the pistachios myself. What a mistake! Took forever and my thumb is sore. I'll splurge for the shelled ones next time.When I tried a small piece when they were all done, I thought well they're just okay... but by the time I was finished I found myself looking for another small piece to munch on. I guess they were more than okay despite the crumbly dough!

The first time I made them, I made them in a bowl and combined all the ingredients together. They came our crumbly.

When I did the butter and sugar in the mixer, then combined quickly with flour, they were great. Dough can be tricky, if you feel its still a bit dry, add a tbsp of egg whites, although I didn't have to.

I made these today and substituted almonds for pistachios and added 1/2 cup chocolate chips. They are very filling, so I didn't have trouble limiting myself. Are they supposed to be filling? I have made anumber of your recipes and they r all great!

I asked you on another post if you have a substitute for a " recipe " but can't recall where I posted, so if answered me, I can't recall which of your recipes I posted on. Thank u for making a difference! Maria Elena

I made these yesterday for a play date and they were a HUGE success!! they crumbles alittle bit when i cut them but i figured out that if you use a ve3ry sharp knife and just slide it down the dough instead of sawing the dough it cuts very nicely, they look and taste fabulous- I used smart balance butter for a healthier alternative and they were very yummy, my husband has already asked me to make them again but with chocolate chips instead!

Just made them and they are yummy. In fact, you could tell from the taste of the raw batter that they would be. I ended up making them for a shorter time at almost 400 degrees and they were just fine. Thanks for the great recipes.

Your site is fabulous -- so much better than most of the WW recipes. Have been trying to get away from butter and use more whole wheat flour, so I substituted olive oil and used about 40% whole wheat pastry flour. They were delicious. The only pistachios I had were in the shell -- if you remove the shell then blanch them, the skin comes off easily and the process also gets rid of most of the salt. A little work intensive, but it beat going to the store just to get unshelled nuts. Thanks for the inspiration.

Just made the recipe and the are delicious! But somehow I didn't get nearly as many pieces as you did! The dough was a little crumbly and hard to keep together so I prob just cut them too large!! But they are very good!! Also had to use sliced almonds since the store I went to didn't have any pistachios... I could have been looking in the wrong places though! :-)

These were really good, even my husband and 5 year old son think so! I made a second batch because you're right, these are too tempting to eat just one! The 2nd time however, I used 1/4 splenda and used superfine sugar for the rest. I also used part whole wheat flour (ran out of AP flour!), but only half of what the recipe called for.I was afraid it would be too dense to replace it 100%. Still came out good and dough was not dry like I was afraid it would be. Just FYI.

Gina, thanks for a wonderful recipe. They turned out a little crumbly while cutting them but I love that they're not too sweet. That's just the way I like it. I've only recently come across your site and there's so much I'd like to try out. Off to check out some more of it. :)

You might try freezing these. They are similar to mandel bread ,Jewish cookie, and they would freeze beautifully. Just heat them a little in the microwave. This will help with portion control. Thank you for all your great recipes

All Hail Queen Gina!!!! I've only made my Gramma's anisette biscotti. She would have LOVED this version. I added 1/4 cup of dried cherries since I had them on hand and someone else mentioned it. 22 cookies vs 24, still 3pt+... though maybe more like 3.5 since 2 cookies are 7.

Why don't you update this recipe. It looks like more than one person, including myself, had trouble with consistency. I had to use 4 eggs to get the dough to stick and guessed at the baking time. Error like that makes me second guess buying your book.